US2010/0333135 discloses use of a wireless handheld device such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) with touch-screen LCD display as a remote control unit. The device may have different operation modes for operating as an interface to applications and an operation mode that involves controlling user equipment with remote control signals. The use of remote control signals is part of operation an interactive media guidance application, wherein the device operates as an electronic program guide. When operating in this mode, a command like a channel change command entered using the touch-screen is automatically sent to the appropriate device.
A wireless handheld device suitable for this purpose because the way in which users interact with many applications on wireless handheld devices is similar to the way in which users interact with an electronic program guide. The interaction assumes that the user switches the device to the task at hand, such as searching for an interesting TV channel and that the user dedicates her or his attention to this task. However, not all use of conventional remote control devices is of this nature. Remote control commands like on/off, reduce/increase sound volume, zapping, pause/play, fast forward etc. are often given casually, without even looking at the remote control device, let alone first switching the device to the task at hand. For such tasks, the device of US2010/0333135 is not convenient.